[July 05, 2007]

Ericsson and United Nations Partner to Provide Wireless Emergency Response Capabilities for Humanitarian Operations

PLANO, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) today announced it has increased its commitment to providing the United Nations complete telecommunications platforms that can be rapidly deployed to humanitarian operations and that will be installed, operated and maintained by Ericsson employees.

Ericsson unveiled its Ericsson Response plans to aid and improve emergency response by leveraging technological advancements in telecommunications today at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva.

For the past seven years, Ericsson has contributed equipment and expertise to enhance the United Nations' capacity during relief operations, partnering with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in order to coordinate support to multiple humanitarian organizations. The partnership has evolved since it was formed in 2000, today primarily focusing on rapid deployment of telecommunications services to areas hit by disaster, and on continuously improving these based on lessons learned from previous deployments.

Ericsson is uniquely positioned to provide some of the industry's most integrated and advanced information and communications technology to humanitarian organizations working in cooperation with OCHA.

Ericsson introduced Wireless LAN in Disaster and Emergency Response (WIDER) on behalf of OCHA to provide wireless hotspots and telecommunications between different relief agencies at a disaster site and Internet connections via satellite. WIDER was first installed and utilized in 2005 in the aftermath of the severe earthquake in Pakistan, which killed more than 70,000 people and left millions homeless.

In Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, Ericsson employees installed WIDER, which provided relief workers with a local Internet platform from which they could share information and communicate between different relief organizations. The relief camp was then linked via a VSAT system to provide common access to international Internet connectivity; The Ericsson Response system and support provided all relief workers access to a common network, enabling them to share the same local information. In light of this success, OCHA asked Ericsson to make WIDER available for future emergencies.

"Communications systems are often disrupted by disasters just when it is essential for humanitarian service providers to share information on priority needs and response plans efficiently. Since 2000, Ericsson has been a reliable partner of the UN, providing emergency telecommunications services in the most difficult environments. In particular, Ericsson helps us to achieve our mission of humanitarian coordination by helping to connect aid workers and organizations with one another," commented John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

"Ericsson Response embodies our corporate values," said Carl-Henric Svanberg, President and CEO of Ericsson. "Whenever and wherever we can, we will use our technology and solutions to support those in need. This cooperation is unique and in line with our long-term commitment and partnership with the United Nations."

Ericsson has also donated a global system for mobile communications (GSM) to OCHA. The UN Peacekeeping Operation in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo is currently connected to this system. The system complements the fixed network, radio and satellite connections currently used in humanitarian missions and is installed in Brindisi, Italy, the hub for satellite telecommunications connecting all UN missions.

The Ericsson Response program is a not-for-profit activity that supports humanitarian operations with no commercial objective and is a key component of Ericsson's corporate responsibility activities. Further information about the Ericsson Response program is available at: http://www.ericsson.com/ericssonresponse/.

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press.

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